Vicki

Welcome to the forum! I tend to use the X to subscribe to threads and then, if they don't peter out before my interest does, I use the X to unsubscribe. If you know how to add Favorites, you might consider adding scouter.com as a Favorite - that will make it easier to get back. Vicki

He probably picked that date because it was the day before All Saint's which is the day most folks would be visiting the holy relics at the Castle Church at Wartenburg (also known as All Saint's Church). They visited there in hopes of getting their time in purgatory reduced (that nasty ol' works thing). So he was guaranteed a large readership. Not as large as if he'd posted it in something other than Latin - but then he was trying to reach the intelligentsia for debate, not the common folk for rabble rousing. Vicki

(grin)

I believe Lisa and I were using mitigate in a different sense of the word than you were. So be it, no big deal. All in good fun. OGE, I believe you mean Antigone? V

They were responsible for making blue medicine from a bluish holly plant which protected the health of their children. Their official name is the Ani'sahoni means literally 'Blue Medicine People.' They are also called the 'Panther' or 'Wild Cat Clan', which represents their protective role in Cherokee culture. Apparently they also kept the peace. Vicki (DH is part-Cherokee) (This message has been edited by Vicki)

mitigated - lessened, reduced (the impact or severity of the effect of something). not mitigator. V

using very ways...zealously (or zanily). V

Ah, amidst the banter concerning dyslexia the error found good hiding in the jungle. Kudos, Lisa! Methinks the least I could do is navigate over precarious, quickened, rough shoals to unviolated, virtuous, well-appointed Xenia's youthful Zip-code. Vicki(This message has been edited by Vicki)

Methinks we missed "m" in the merriment of the second round - midway along midst Stosh, Narraticong, and Ed. My, I must be misusing my mandated minutes. Vicki

Point is, Beav, that it isn't a specific business where everyone is available during a period of time so that scheduling an appointment during that period of time is possible (as in, using polling software or a scheduler). I've lived in the world where an appointment magically shows up in your calendar because everyone can tell there isn't a conflict at that time. Scheduling a MB session isn't the same thing. Someday, perhaps, there will be some sort of universal scheduler, but it isn't today. Which means I've exchanged four or more e-mails to schedule a conference when one phone call (that the person on the other end could elect to let roll to voicemail, thus handling it when they have a moment) could have handled. Not to mention that if the scout calls me the first time, I generally count that as the initial meeting. That way we're not all inconvenienced by having an unnecessary physical meeting. But I guess the bottom line is that we can't expect people to live in each other's context. Everybody's is different. To the extent that we can help scouts learn to be flexible in their approach, we win. That's part of what Communications tries to teach. Vicki(This message has been edited by Vicki)

Buffalo S, I think we're talking somewhat at cross purposes, but that's OK, happens all the time in e-mailed communications. My experience has been that scout contacts me via e-mail wanting to schedule something for the next day - oops, next day arrived, I haven't responded to the e-mail. That's the communications lesson - call me. Handle it in five minutes or less instead of e-mailing back and forth interminably. "Sidelining the conference for a communications lesson." Not my point, nor is it my goal - but I think you were directing that at Acco. I happen to agree with him that instruction on basic etiquette may be in order as you proceed with the SM conference (assuming it's a reasonable time to have it). As you note, there are a lot of pieces of etiquette that are missing from some of the scouts I work with - not necessarily blaming parents, at a certain point some young men seem to stop listening to their parents and need the point reinforced by others. Yep, e-mail is good for mass communication - my example was scheduling between one or two people. I also try to help them understand when e-mail is appropriate. Hope this clarifies things, Vicki(This message has been edited by Vicki)

acco, (off-topic rant coming) as a Communications MB counselor, I try my darndest to hammer home the message that e-mail is not the be-all and end-all to communication and neither is texting. There are very specific situations in which e-mail is NOT appropriate and trying to schedule something with one or two other people is a spectacular example that I use regularly. Don't get me started on the parent who is "working with" three of the scouts (not in my troop) to get the Comm MB "done" so that they can meet with me. Answer is no - if they want to nominate one of their number to call me, that's fine, but I don't want to hear from a parent. Vicki

Barry, good point. My soon-to-be (Monday) Life Scout's SM conference was, "You know, Jon, we talk a lot since you're an ASPL so I have a pretty good idea of who you are as a scout. What do you plan to do with the troop as a Life Scout? How do you like the way things are going?" That was it. Paraphrased, since I didn't actually hear the short conversation, but talked to both parties afterward as it came up in our own conversations about other things. Vicki

Modifying my answer a little bit - during meetings, no. Didn't really occur to me that you'd do one during the meeting...before and after, yes. Before, usually only with prior arrangement since that's when the SPL/SM are dealing with details. And campouts are always the preferred place. Vicki(This message has been edited by Vicki)

The SMs I've been associated with have done them whenever, wherever, understanding that there will be times when it may not be "right now" but will be very shortly. Always within view of others. Boards of Review are also done at the drop of a hat. To be honest, I've never heard of one done at a Scout's house until now. Even the AOLers were at the meeting where they earned it as part of the ceremony/process. That took awhile with a larger den, but those cubs were willing to wait because it was a big thing. Vicki

Gunny wrote, "Each one of us had no clear guidance on some issues but knew which way the wind was likely to blow. BSA is not giving the same guidance." Gunny, your analogy is spot on! Consistency in practice which supports policy is critical and we don't have that. Probably the nature of the beast since the discipline of an armed service just isn't available to the scouting hierarchy. Shoot, it isn't even possible within their own ranks - hence the kluge that is the GSS and other pronouncements in the first place. So we fumble along, Vicki

Congrats Jet! In the grand scheme of things, what drives people crazy about Bears is that what those other critters think just has no effect on us, we just keep amblin' on. Just passin' through, Vicki (used to be a Bear, C-12-04 and a Bear in a Bobwhite suit, staff C-4-08)(This message has been edited by Vicki)

I'm with you, Shortridge. Always did love the simplicity and fun of the Regatta. Also less pressure, less politics, less cost... Vicki

>As far as I am concerned, one of the worst harms is in the lie itself. > Pack, we agree more times than we don't. I completely agree with you on this one. Vicki

>Vicki - assuming from your name you are a female, you really smoke cigars?> Yep, I have been known to enjoy a Montecristo or the like upon occasion. Vicki

I have been known to enjoy the occasional cigar with a few like-minded adult leaders around a campfire after the scouts are tucked in. Not even close to every campout and not at all with my current troop. But I wouldn't even think of doing that under the dining fly with scouts coming and going. I do believe that has to stop. Hopefully a quiet conversation along with the appropriate language from the G2SS will do it. I wouldn't try to have that conversation while I was livid, however. Vicki(This message has been edited by Vicki)

Our area fire departments are offering to facilitate the switch. Gives them a chance to warn people about extension cords under carpets, heating their homes with open oven doors, checking smoke detectors, etc. But, that said, it does sound like a good idea. I think it probably should have started awhile back in order to get the most bang for your buck, but if you're already doing it, great! Vicki

I'm with SA. The mindset that goes with waking up the second day and realizing you're going to be backpacking all day and setting up again that night needs to be experienced at least once before you hit the "real" trail. John, I haven't done Philmont but I have really fond memories of Inyo and Los Padres, along with some of the northern CA trails. Vicki

SctDad, it sounds like dutch oven cooking would be the simplest method, in combination perhaps with a decent propane stove? Do you have access to those? DO cooking is pretty easy to do and most of the work is in the preparation. My sister does a wild rice and Rock Cornish game hens DO that is to die for (you can sub chicken parts if you want, but the hens are sometimes pretty cheap around here). Being a somewhat flexible vegetarian myself, I've been known to keep the bird over to one side and keep a corner of the DO for myself - mixing in some nuts and mushrooms with the wild rice. Corn bread in another DO. I've known folks to do a layered thing with the bread on top - that turns out pretty well too. Then there's the famous DO cobbler. You can do the cobbler once dinner is over as a close to bedtime treat - that way you can use the same DO you used for the main meal. There are all kinds of instruction materials and internet groups that can get you started - just google "dutch oven cooking" and start reading. With the right shopping, you can even get dutch ovens second hand pretty cheap - seasoning takes a bit of elbow grease, but the result is worth it. Who knows, it might even transfer to some home cooking if folks realize that the basic principle is to throw it all together and keep it at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Stew works really well in a DO too, again, you can float the bread on top. Kebobs work if a grill is involved - flexible too in terms of what you want on your own skewer. I've found you'll need a couple of really filling side dishes. The decent propane stove comes in handy in the morning for breakfast. Our scout shop has some good campout cookbooks, I'd imagine yours does too. Just a couplea thoughts. Vicki

Speaking of the looks on their faces - when the new guys notice that I just took a pancake, a little bit of syrup, a sausage link, rolled it all up, and had breakfast with no dishes! Priceless. Vicki